Classic Chinese Steamed Fish - Cantonese Style

This was a dish I wanted to get right, and I'm not sure why it meant so much for me to do so. I'd set myself to do this for a Chinese New Year dinner I'd organised, and I did this having never steamed a fish, let alone a whole fish. The whole experience was a new one for me, from buying the fish at the fishmonger's, having it cleaned, right through to finding a rack to stand the plate in the wok, and a claw to remove the plate from the wok. It's a dish I will cook again!

1 x 1 kg whole white fish (barramundi, baby red snapper, coral trout), cleaned
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons finely shredded ginger
a dozen coriander sprigs
2-3 spring onions, shredded diagonally (soak in ice water if you want beautiful curly tendrils but not necessary)
steamed jasmine rice, to serve

MARINADE
1 1/2 tablespoons shoaxing rice wine
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil

serves 2 or 4-6 as a shared meal

Place the fish on a large plate and make three slits to the bone 3cm apart on both sides of the fish. Spoon over the marinate of shaoxing, soy, ginger, and sesame oil, massage gently over the entire fish. Clingfilm and marinate in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Balance the plate of fish on a metal trivet in a wok and steam, covered with a domed lid, for 5-8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked. To test if the fish is cooked, insert a small sharp knife into the thickest part of the flesh and part gently. If the flesh is translucent, it is cooked. Remove the plate from the wok and set aside.

Heat the peanut or vegetable oil in a hot wok until it smokes. Sprinkle the fish with pepper, shredded ginger, coriander and spring onions, then slowly pour the hot oil over the fish to crisp the skin and scald the aromatics. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.